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Hey, Decatur! This week: the Haints & Saints Day of the Dead Halloween Parade steps off Sunday evening from Decatur Cemetery and winds downtown, and the school board has pushed its pre-K decision to January 2027. We've also got a $1 million Delta grant for Agnes Scott and a weekend full of derby racing, ghost tours, and live music to plan around.

- News — The school board delayed its College Heights pre-K decision to January 2027, Delta committed $1 million to Agnes Scott College, and Decatur High reported a 91% AP pass rate.
- Events — Halloween takes over the week with the Haints & Saints parade, the Madison Avenue Derby, the Decatur Ghost Tour, and a stacked run of shows at Eddie's Attic.
- Government — Avondale Estates looked at City Hall renovation plans and its draft budget, DeKalb commissioners had data center rules on the agenda, and the Decatur City Commission meets Monday on the 2026 Comprehensive Plan.
- Construction — Two Avondale Estates parcels were merged into one lot, a new two-story home is going up on Proctor Ave, and I-285 resurfacing is in the road work list.

Let's dive in.

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City Schools of Decatur delays pre-K decision to January
The board's decision on potentially moving some pre-K classes from College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center to K-2 schools is now set for January 2027. College Heights has 148 students across eight pre-K classes, and a survey sent last month drew around 700 responses from parents and staff.

Delta commits $1 million to Decatur women's college
Delta Air Lines has awarded a $1 million grant to Agnes Scott College in Decatur. The funding is intended to support institutional programming at the women's college.

DeKalb, Decatur Schools see increased AP exam pass rates
Decatur High School reported a 91% pass rate in the 2026 AP cycle, with test-takers rising from 433 to 552 and exams administered from 556 to 878. DeKalb County School District saw AP participation rise 4.9% from 2025, and its share of scores of 3 or higher increased from 57.7% to 61.7%.

Atlanta nonprofit secures financing to launch 'another form of ministry' in Avondale Estates
Wellroot Family Services has secured financing for the first phase of redevelopment at its Avondale Estates campus. The project is intended to expand services for children and families.

Investigation clears Decatur schools leader over podcast comments
A third-party investigation found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing by Superintendent Gyimah Whitaker, the Decatur Board of Education announced Tuesday. The inquiry followed parent protests over comments made on a podcast hosted by her husband, Jason Whitaker, and the board plans to release the full report within 10 days.

Dead raccoon tests positive for rabies in Decatur neighborhood
A dead raccoon found in the Meadow Rock Drive area of Decatur tested positive for rabies, DeKalb County officials confirmed Friday. Officials urged annual pet vaccinations registered with DeKalb County Animal Control, secured trash cans, and immediate medical attention for anyone bitten or scratched, with animal control reachable at 404-294-2996, ext. 2, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Tuesday, October 20
- Arabia Reads: Discussing Immigrant Justice With Sarah Towle And Anton Flores-Maisonet | Atlanta Friends Meeting House
- DHS Orchestra Fall Concert | Decatur High School Performing Arts Center
- Data by Design: Visualization and Power from Abolition to the Dawn of Data Science by Lauren Klein | 184 S. Candler St.

Wednesday, October 21
- Sustainable Landscaping with Decatur Comunity Habitat | Legacy Park
- Ready for the Unexpected: FREE Community Talk on Emergency Planning for Older Adults | 231 Sycamore St
- Atlanta Pre-Fest show with New Junk City and more | Waller's Coffee Shop
- Oliver Wood | Eddie's Attic
- How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Amanda Holden & Kiersten Saunders | Decatur Library

Thursday, October 22
- Legacy Park Beaver Complex Tour | Decatur Legacy Park, 720 S Columbia Dr
- The Book As Art v.14: Ghosted | Decatur Fine Art
- Decatur Ghost Tour | Historic Courthouse Square

Friday, October 23
- Fall Festival | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Parents Night Out - Halloween Edition | Oakhurst Recreation Center, 450 E Lake Dr
- Closing Reception – Placita Latina v.6: Puentes | Decatur Fine Art
- Waller-Ween Halloween Celebration | Waller's Coffee Shop
- Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Jill Scott Tribute Featuring 404 Theory and Special Guests | The Reading Room
- The Wedding Singer | 636 W Ponce de Leon Ave
- Preston Cooper w/ Sammy Brasher | Eddie's Attic

Saturday, October 24
- 6th Annual Avondale Ale Day | Avondale Estates Business District
- Farewell to Fairies | Woodlands Garden
- Princess in Black and the Trick or Treating Trouble! | DeKalb County Public Library Decatur Branch
- Madison Avenue Derby | Madison Ave
- Beacon Hill History Ride | Ebster Rec, Decatur, GA, United States
- John Paul White | Eddie's Attic
- Hannah Dasher at Avon Theater with Special Guest Dee White | Avon Theater

Sunday, October 25
- Allagash in the Garden | Brick Store Pub
- CompassionCon 2026 | Legacy Park Decatur
- Decatur Diwali | Ebster Recreation Center
- Lifeline Adoption Event & Costume Contest | Waller's Coffee Shop
- Witches Brew: Potion Workshop | Little Shop of Stories
- SUSTO: A Solo Show Live at Eddie's Attic | Eddie's Attic
- Haints & Saints – Day of the Dead Halloween Parade | Decatur Cemetery to Downtown Decatur Square

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Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

City of Avondale Estates
Minutes aren't published yet for any of this week's meetings, so outcomes aren't confirmed. The Board of Mayor and Commissioners took up a proposal from William H. Clark and Covalent Consulting, LLC for architectural services on the City Hall renovation, which would start the design phase for upgrading the city's main civic building. The board also held a work session on the draft FY 2027 operating budget and capital program, a preview of how the city plans to spend your tax dollars on services and infrastructure. No final budget vote was scheduled for that session. Earlier in the week, the Downtown Development Authority had an amended contract with Avila Development on its agenda, one that adds Center Street to the project and could shape downtown growth. The authority also looked at a $1,250 sponsorship request for the Manga Day Festival and updates on upcoming community events.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
The commissioners met October 13 with a packed agenda, though only the agenda is posted so far, and the outcomes aren't confirmed. Two data center items were up for consideration, one ordinance defining and classifying data centers for county oversight and one requiring an independent health and environmental study before the county lifts its moratorium. Commissioners also considered ordinances targeting street drifting and unauthorized camping, restricting how animals are restrained and transported, and limiting the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops. On spending, the agenda included an $11.12 million contract with CDM Smith for upgrades at the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, a $7 million contract for manhole cover repairs, and a $3.33 million contract for road restriping. Federal grants totaling more than $4.6 million for park and community center improvements were also up for a vote, along with a blasting safety ordinance and early SPLOST funding for a joint fire and police training facility.

City Schools of Decatur
The Board of Education held several sessions on October 13, and the posted records list no recorded votes, so final outcomes aren't documented. At its regular monthly meeting, the board had action items on the E-SPLOST VI reconciliation, a presentation on the E-SPLOST VI closeout and E-SPLOST VII capital plan, and vendor contracts including Mayfield Dairy, Convergint, and KONE Inc. It also had revisions to the field trip and graduation requirement policies on its agenda. A work session covered FY27 school staffing guidelines, draft 2027 legislative priorities, and policies on gifted programs, promotion and retention, and school activities. A pre-work session reviewed policies on sex education, media programs, and school facility use, plus an update on legal services bidding. These discussions shape the budget and rules your children's schools will follow this year.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

City of Avondale Estates
- Avondale Estates City Hall (21 N. Avondale Plaza) — An architectural services agreement with William H. Clark and Covalent Consulting for the municipal City Hall Renovation Project is on the agenda for consideration.
- Center Street — An amended development agreement with Avila Development to incorporate Center Street into downtown redevelopment plans is on the agenda for review.

Meetings This Week
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education | Oct-19 | key topics: Sandy Hook Promise Program presentation, campus facility updates, school budget overview
- City of Decatur — Decatur City Commission | Oct-19, 7:30 PM | key topics: 2026 Comprehensive Plan adoption, Unified Development Ordinance review
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education | Oct-20 | key topics: executive session on personnel and legal matters
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole | Oct-20, 9:00 AM | key topics: Old Briarcliff Road and Gresham Road rezonings, park grant acceptances, Constitution Road freight corridor easements
- City Schools of Decatur — Board of Education | Oct-21
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Oct-26

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Permits
- 750 Avondale Creek Dr, Apartment commercial permit closed 10/15. The complex is updating its legal entity name so it can get a business license. It's paperwork only, so you won't see any work on site.
- 136 Laredo Dr and 145 Oak St, Avondale Estates, Mixed-use commercial permit closed 10/14. Two tax parcels are now combined into one. A merged lot often comes before a bigger project, so watch this spot.
- 2701 N Decatur Rd, Commercial business permit closed 10/13. Crews are modifying the fire alarm system to match a new tenant layout. That usually means a business is settling into the space.
- Proctor Ave, $200K single-family permit closed 10/13. A new two-story home is going up with a porch and driveway. Expect the usual construction noise and some outdoor work on the street.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Kensington MARTA Station access improvements — Phase I of transit access and mobility improvements around the Kensington MARTA station is now listed as under construction. GDOT hasn't posted details on the scope yet.
- I-285 resurfacing, Snapfinger Road to SR 8 — I-285 is being repaved in DeKalb between Snapfinger Road and SR 8. GDOT lists it as about 70% complete.

Service Requests
- Code Violations: Reported on Drexel Ave, New St, and Sycamore St.
- Vegetation Maintenance: Overgrowth complaints came in for Coventry Rd, the 245-299 block of Woodlawn Ave, and the 300-398 block of Driftwood Ter.
- Street Signs: You'll find problem signs on Hillcrest Ave and Chief Matthews Rd.
- Tree Maintenance: Requests cover the 435-441 block of Glendale Ave and Midway Rd.
- Missed Sanitation Collection: Crews skipped pickups on Avery St and Ridgeland Ave.
- Sidewalk Maintenance: Repairs are requested on the 220-238 block of Mead Rd and on S McDonough St.
- Street Maintenance: Two reports came in for Sams Xing.
- Pothole: One sits on W Trinity Pl.
- City Facilities Maintenance: Powell Cove has a request in.
- City Parks and Greenspace Maintenance: Winnona Dr has a request in.

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Until next week,
Decatur Busybody

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Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.